1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ladder securing devices, specifically ladder securing devices for securing extension ladders to a structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, it has been known to use devices to ensure the safe and secure use of a ladder to thereby prevent personal injury and property damage. Many people use ladders to access locations of varying elevation. Ladders are used to access elevated locations as well as to support a person while they perform an activity at some elevation. The greater the elevation to be accessed the greater the risk of injury posed to users and/or third persons proximate to the ladder. Injury caused by the ladder becoming unstable and falling from the structure to the ground. Therefore there is a need for a ladder security device that affordably, effectively, and efficiently enables a user to safely and securely use a ladder. Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples include but are not limited to the references described below, which references are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,401, issued to Murray, discloses a U-shaped channel member fitted horizontally over a gutter, with each protruding channel member engaging the fascia board to which the gutter is attached. Ladder legs rest against the channel member between brackets. A strap attached to the channel member is adapted to engage a ladder rung with the gutter, thereby holding the ladder in engagement with the channel member and further preventing the ladder from sliding laterally or diagonal movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,261, issued to Hardin, discloses a brace for a gutter including a support which is sized and shaped to fit within a gutter, at least two ferrules and at least one fastener for each ferrule. The at least two ferrules being of a larger inner diameter than an outer diameter of said at least one fastener. The support contains at least two sets of holes, each set of holes being defined in said support. One hole is of a first size such that a fastener can pass through it but a ferrule cannot and the other hole is of a second size that both a fastener and a ferrule can pass through. The holes are parallel to each other and the centers of the holes are opposite each other. The ferrule is inserted into said hole of first size allowing the ferrule to pass through it. The fastener is inserted into the hole of second size and passes through the support into the hole of first size and through the ferrule.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,163, issued to Kent, Sr. et al., discloses a ladder support for mounting on the fascia board of a structure and securing the top end of a ladder to facilitate access to the roof of a structure. In a preferred embodiment the ladder support includes a pair of spaced legs extending outwardly and upwardly in spaced relationship from fixed attachment to the fascia board and a crossbar connecting the extending legs intermediate the ends of the legs. The angle of extension of the legs facilitates clearance of any gutter which might also be mounted on the fascia board of the structure and allows placement of the top segment of the ladder against the crossbar to support the ladder at a safe angle with respect to the supporting surface. In another preferred embodiment a sliding bracket is mounted on the crossbar and is fitted with a thumb screw for locking the bracket against one leg of the ladder and further securing the ladder on the crossbar.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,231, issued to Davis, discloses a base plate includes a plurality of plate members, each formed with abutting flanges that are in turn orthogonally oriented relative to one another to provide a continuous abutment surface for a plurality of ladder legs of an associated ladder. The structure includes pins directed through each corner of the free ends of the base plates, and may further be provided with tether lines, with a plurality of the tether lines utilizing adjusting means for fixedly anchoring the ladder to the plate structure. Further refinement of the organization includes the flanges in hingedly intercommunicating relationship relative to one another to permit interfolding of the structure for ease of transport and storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,221, issued to Lee, discloses a ladder has side rails with rungs and lower eye-bolts extending from the side rails. A bracket is coupleable to a building to be painted or maintained with upper eye-bolts. A pair of turnbuckles have central sections, upper end sections and lower end sections. A pair of J-shaped hooks have lower ends. The lower ends are coupled to the upper ends of the turnbuckle. An upper hook-shaped end is removably coupled to an upper eye-bolt. A pair of short chains has upper ends threadedly coupled to the lower end of the turnbuckle. A lower hook-shaped end is removably coupled to a lower eye-bolt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,500, issued to Delagera, discloses a gutter guard protector and anti-slip ladder device for a roof on a building comprising an assembly that is insertable into the gutter, for preventing the top portions of the side rails of the ladder from crushing the front segment of the gutter when placed against it. A structure on the assembly is for preventing the top portion of the side rails of the ladder from sliding off when placed thereagainst.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,971, issued to Rice, discloses a ladder safety apparatus for use with a straight ladder having vertical side rails, and having horizontally aligned openings in the side rails, is disclosed. An example is a hollow-rung metal or aluminum ladder. The safety apparatus includes a flexible metal cable of a length somewhat greater than the rail-to-rail dimension of the ladder, the cable extending through the openings in the side rails. An elongated metal bolt or tube is non-removably attached to each end of the metal cable, to thereby form a linear extension of the metal cable. First and second building attachment means are provided, each such means having a metallic cable-attachment portion with an opening therein whereby the building attachment means is slidably and loosely mounted on the bolt or tube. An adjustment nut or collet is mounted on the bolt or tube, and in a position to adjustably trap the cable-attachment portion on an end of the metal cable. The metal cable includes a protective plastic covering.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,803, issued to Moore, discloses a ladder safety system for secures the upper end of an extension ladder to the roof, eave, or wall of a building. For each ladder rail there is a rail-mountable bracket member that removably mounts onto the rail, a rigid plate member that removably attaches onto the building, and an adjustable strut or arm. Each of the bracket member and the plate member has an eye or ring affixed onto it, and the strut joins the eye member of the bracket member to the eye member of the plate member. The plate member articulates on the strut to permit it to be oriented to attach to any convenient horizontal, vertical or sloping surface.
U.S. Design Pat. No.: 406,652, issued to Marchand, discloses the ornamental design for an adjustable ladder stabilizer.
The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages which include expensive, limited in application, limited in versatility, cumbersome, difficult to use/assemble, inconvenient and/or otherwise fails to provide an easily adaptable, durable and/or cost effective means to secure a ladder to a structure for safe use.
What is needed is a ladder securing device that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.